Power-transmission gearing



April 13 192e.

H. R. lnAvlz-:s

POWER TRANsMrssIoN' GEARING Filed July 9, 1917 Patented Apr. 13, 1926. d

UNITED STATES p *y 1,580,190 PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY DAVIESA, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE ELECTRIC AUTO-LITE COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A `(JOB/IORATION OF OHIO.

POWER-TRANSMISSION GEARING.

Application mea' July 9,

'The principal object of my invention is to provide an improved arrangement of gearing, which automatically moves into driving engagement with the engine when the motor starts, and automatically moves out of driving engagement with the engine when the engine starts. A further objectl of my invention is to provide an improved arrangement of gearing, which automatically moves into driving engagement with the enginev when the motor starts and is held in engagement until the -engine speed exceeds the motor speed, when the gearing automatically moves out of engagement with the engine. A further object of my invention is to provide an improved varrangement of gearing 'in which the gear, which drives the engine, is thrown intoV driving engagement against spring tension and is yieldingly held in such engagement. y i

Further objects, and objects relating to economies of manufacture and details of con-A struction, will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and means described in the 'following specification. My invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the appended claims.

A structure constituting a preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which:

Fig. I is av view in side elevation of a structure embodying my invention, the lcasing being shown in section and the gearing being shown out of mesh. 3

Fig. II is a fragmentary view in side elevation showing the gearing in mesh to drive lthe engine.

1917. serial No. 179,43`7.

Fig. III is a vertical sectional view, taken sulstantially on the line III-III of Fig. II, an i Fig. IV is a detail, fragmentary, sectional view, taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. I.

vIn the drawings, similar reference numerals refer tol similar parts throughout the several views, and the sectional views are taken looking in the directionof the little arrows at the ends of the section lines.

Considering the numbered parts of the drawing, the motor 10 has the shaft 11 and the casing 12, which houses the power transmission gearing forming the subject matter of my invention, and is secured to the end wall of the motor 10 by means of the bolts 13. Said casing 12-has. a slot 14 in the side thereof, through which thc engine fly wheel 15 projects, said fly wheel being provided with a gear 16, through which it-is driven by the motor in starting. The bearing 17 for thc outer'end of the motor shaft 11 is formed in the casing 12. A sleeve 18 is fixed on the shaft 11, said shaft being provided with a key-way 19, in which the key 2O is disposed, to connect `the sleeve 18 and the shaft 11. Said sleeve 18 is provided with au external thread 21 and gear 22, which is provided with an internal thread 23 corresponding to the threadv21, said gear being mounted on said sleeve 18, and being provided with a weight-ed member 24, in order to add to the inertia of the gear, the forward corners of the gear teeth being slightly roundedas at 25 so as to facilitate meshing with the teeth of the gear 16 on the tiy wheel 15.

A stop pin 26 is carried by the sleeve 18 to limit the movement in one` direction of the gear. 22, yrelative to the sleeve 18. A cup 27 is secured tothe end of the sleeve 18, nearest l the motor 10, and a sleeve 28 is loosely mounted on the sleeve 18, said sleeve 28 having an annular iange 29 surrounding the cup 27. A compression spring 30 is coiled around the sleeve 18, and compressed between the cup 27 and the sleeve 28, so that said spring tends normally to force lthe. sleeve 28 away from the cup 27.

From the description of the parts given above, the o eration of my device should be very readi y understood. When the motor 10 starts, the revolution of the shaft 11 carries with it the sleeve 18, which is fixed thereto. The inertia of the gear 22, due in part to the weighted member 24, causes the 'fie gear to tend to drag sa that it does notfmove as rapidly as the sleeve 18, and, due tothe cooperating spiral threads 21 and 23 on theA sleeve and the gear respectively, the gear moves longitudinally ongthe sleeve 18, for the reason that .said sleeve revolves faster than the gear 22, until the gear is by rotation of the sleeve drawn intoy meshwith the gear 16` on the Hy wheel 15, as shown in Fig. lil of the drawing, so that the engine Hy wheel is driven by the motor l0.

As soon as the gear 22 is moved on the sleeve 18 suc'iently to permit the edge of the teeth to engage the edge of the teeth of the gear 16, the gear 22 will be held against movement and will immediately, due to the revolution of the'sleeve 18, be thrown into meshing engagement with the teeth of the gear 16,', and it will be seen that, as itis drawn into such engagement, the sleeve 28 will be vforced toward, the., motor 1U against the pressure of the spriiig 30, so that the. gear 22 is yieldingly diawniinto engagement with the gear 16, agtainst the tension of said spring. In this osition, the motor 10 drives the engine thi-fu'gh` the gear 16-on the fly wheel15 and, as oon as the engine has iired and startsto rdn; under its own power, the fiy wheel 15 and the gear 16 will begin to travel'at a speed of rotation greater than that of the motor 10 and-the shaft 11,-and, since'the gear 16 is traveling faster than the sleeve18, the gear 22 will, due to the co-operating threads 21 and 23, move out of mesh with the gear 1G, to its original position on the sleeve. This movement of the gear is aided by the compression spring 80, which tends to force the gearout of engagement with the gear wheel 16.

1t will be apparent that, in this manner, yll have provided a power transmission gearing which automatically moves into engagement to drive the engine whenthe motor is started and automatically moves out of driving engagement with the engine as soon as the engine speedbecomes greater than the motor speed, and it is furthermore apparent that li have also provided a power transmission' gearing connecting the motor and the engine, which moves yieldingly into engagement, to drive the engine, against a spring mariee pressure, and which is provided with a spring means for forcing the gear out of engagement. f

l am aware that this particular embodiment of my invention is susceptible of con siderable variation without departing from the spirit of my invention, but 1 have found that itis desirable from many standpoints and therefore li' desire to claim the same specifically as well as broadly as indicated bythe appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. ln an engine starteiglcombination, a screw-threaded member, a screw-threaded pinion mounted for rotation and longitudinal movement on the screw-threaded member and adapted upon the sudden rotational movement of said screw-threaded member to move into operative engagement with the engine member, a ianged ring secured to said threaded member, a sleeve slidably fitting said threaded member and having a flange to telescope with the iange of said ring, a

compression spring between said ring and' said sleeve and within said flanges, said sleeve having a comparatively long bearing face with said threaded member-to prevent binding thereof and the innermost of said two flanges being of a diameter to receive said spring but to prevent one coil thereof over-riding another when subjected to compression by the movement of the pinion.

2. A starter'meohanism comprising a rotatable member; a ring secured to the member having a flange turned parallel to the axis of the 'rotatable member to form a recess; a sleeve slidably mounted on the member and formed with a ange adapted 'to telescope with said first named flange; a, spring encircling said member Within the cavity formed by said flanges, said flanges being adapted to prevent the separate turns of the spring from over-riding each other; and a driving gear mounted on said member and adapted to move into contact with the sleeve and compress the s ring.

ln testimony whereof aflix my signature.

HENRY n. Davies.. 

